Piano-key mounting



w. A. GOBL'E PIANO KEY MOUNTING Oct. 2, 1928.

Filed Feb. 28,' 192'? lDaPfm lobw "5 v Mulan Patented oct. 52, 192s.

UNITED sInAIEs kwAIiraIz A. GOBLE, or. GRAND RAPIDS, VMICHIGAN.

PIANO-KEY MOUNTING.

Application iled ,February 2S, 1927. Serial No 171,586.

This invention relates to a piano key mounting by means of which it is readily possible to individually remove any key very quickly and easily without disturbing the 5 rest of the structure n' of the rpianoI in any manner. This is of particular value in connection with player pianos Lwherein it is now impossible to remove the conventional style keys inmostv makes, at least, without first removing the player stack, forkthe reason 'that such stack. is so close tothe keys thatthe keys cannot be lifted high enough to clear the conventional kand usual style ofkey pin'at thepoint where mounted on the balance rail. y'

A further object and purpose of this invention "is to kprovide a knovel method of i mounting the keys so that not only may they be thus readily removedaspreviously stated,

but' also that samemay headjusted to bring f all' of the keysto the same` level; and this i adjustment is one which can be performed almost instantlywith `respect tofany particular key, requiring no laborious building up andtearing down with additions and removals of paperv washers of varying thicknessessuch as arevnow, required to level the keys.' y f Q i, j

A still further object is tosecure they above results without detriment'to the strength of the keys at the balance rail point and `without cutt-in'gaway portions of the *key` when mountingthesame on the balance rail' with a consequent weakening thereof, as. is nou7 almost universal practice. y In additionr to the novel and useful way of pivoting and adjusting'the keys onthe balance rail,`another object of the inventionis to provide very simple and readily regulatedy means for, maintaining lthe, keys in proper positionjto keep them from tipping laterally in either direction. "These improve-` ments which I have made are exceptionally f simple, practical and economical to make, their use resulting in considerable saving of time for the manufacturer, while the repair? ing and adjusting the keys is'greatlysimplified.4 j Y y 'For `an understanding of the invention whereby theseends are attained,lreference maybe had to the following description taken .in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,v f

f 1 is a fragmentaryplan view illusiti-ating' the manner'of pivotally mountingr yin Figures 2 and. 3 for pivotally mounting direction.

2 is a side elevation and vertical section showing the manner in which the keys are mounted on the balance rail.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary plan views of the intermediate portionsof keys where the same are pivotally mounted and held from laterally tipping. Y

Fig. 5 isa verticall transverse section through one of the keys. the balance rail being shown fragmentari'ly in longitudinal section, illustrating the construction shown 7 the keys and holding the same for lateral tipping. Y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section through the intermediate portion of a key and a transverse section through the balance rail on which it is mounted, and

Fig. 7 is aview similar to that shown in Figure 5, but illustrating a different specific form 'of construction for holding leach key from lateral tipping. rkLike reference characters refer to like parts in the'diferent figuresof thedrawings.y l

j In the constructionshown, a frame l is providedabove which the keys are. mounted. At the front edge of the frame la front rail 2 is secured transversely thereof from which verticalkey'pins 3 extend into suitable'open'- ings in the under side of the keys, and a punching 4 of felt or like material is located around each pin at the upper'side of the rail 2 against which the under sides of the front ends of the keys strike when the same are depressed in playing. A distance back of the railiQ, `a balance rail 5 of wood or equivalent material y'is secured transversely of the frame 1 paralleling the front rail 2in whichy at its upper side a number of small openings 6 are made. 100 `one for each key, the purpose of which willy later appear. At the rear ofthe frame 1,

a third or back rail 7 is securedtransversely ofthe kbed on the upper.V side of whichis a felt strip 8, the rear ends yof the keys nor- 10e mally bearing against the felt 8. 'lhekeys are of wood, and with my invention, the front end portions 9 thereof are substantially square. in cross'section at their upper sides equipped with the usual facing 10wh1eh 1.10

may be ivory for the white keys and stained or painted wood or ebony for the black keys, said black keys being shown at 10a.

The rear portions of the keys are slightly narrowed as indicated at 11 by removing seme of the material at each vertical side so that when a plurality of keys are mounted side by side, there are spaces 12 between the keys back ot' the wider iront portions 9 thereof.

Through each key a screw 13 is passed, the screw being threaded substantially for its entire length and at its lower end below the thread having` a tapered point 111. On this tapered point a washer 15 of metal or other suitable material is driven underneath which a pad 16, which may be of felt, is placed to bear against the upper side of the balance rail 5, the tapered end 14 of the screw entering an vopening 6, to which reference has previously been made.

The keys are thus pivotedly mounted between their ends on the balance rail. Any key can be very easily removed by merely litt-ing the front end until it is disengaged from its key pin 3, this at the same time lifting` its pivot screw 13 at its lower end from the opening 6 in which it is located, whereupon the key may be drawn in the direction of its length outwardly at the front. 1t is also evident that the adjustment o the key may be very quickly and expedi tiously done. By merely applying a screw driver to the head of a screw 13, any key may be raised or lowered and allot the keys may be adjusted to the same plane at their front upper sides by bringing them against the under side of a straight edge as is evidentA This adjustment of the dip of the keys is of great value in the manutace ture of pianos. The present practice is to build the key up above the balance rail to the desired level by using punching of earch board or paper, which must be carefully selected as to thickness and by repeated trial applied to the keys until all of the keys are located at a desired level, this necessitating a removal of the keys many times with trying operations before a. iinal perfect adjustment issecured; while with my invention the adjustment of any key is effected almost instantly.

By reason of the removal of portions of the material of each key at the sides thereof at the back, the rear end portions of the keys will not rub against each other should anv of the keys warp and4 bend laterally as trefquently it occurs. y

The spaces, indicated at 12, are wide enough. to take care of any such bending and warping, while such spaces are also of utility tofurnish space for mounting a prop pin 17 between keys and on the balance rail to hold the key against,V any lateral tipping. @ne of the forms which I may use is shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. The prop pin 17 made of metal or any other suitable material is driven into or otherwise attached to the balance rail 5, so as to extend vertically one at one side of each key. Between the prop pin and the side of the key, a felt pad 18 Vmay be placed and cemented to the side of the key as shown. AS screw 19 having an end portion 20 turned at right angles is screwed into the same side of the key a short distance from the prop pin 17, so that said part 2O lies parallel to the side of t-he key and its inner side carries a facing 21 of felt, the prop pin 17 passes between the two felt acings 1S and 21, as fully shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This serves to maintain the key in proper. position. The prop pin 17 may be of oval Jform so that by turning the same about its vertical axis adjustment may be readily made for any wear w ich takes place. Ot course the pin could be circular in cross section in which case adjustment is readily made by bending the part 2O to wards or away from the pin as may be necessary.

Another form of prop pin is shown in Fig. 7. The pin 22 extends vertically at one side of the lkey bearing against the felt 18, and at a distance above the upper side of the key is turned horizontally across the key as indicated in Q3, and then turned downwardly at right angles, as shown at24, so that its lower portion lies below the upper side of the key. A felt pad 25 is attached to this side of thekey directly opposite the pad 18, so as to bear against the lower end of part 24 of the prop pin, constructed as-shown in Fig. 7. This also maintains the keys in proper position and keeps them from tipping sidewise, wear in such case being taken care ot by bending the free end )ortion 24 towards the key as may be neer ed.

This construction of piano ke, mounting while simple in form, is particu arly useful both from ainanufacturing and a service standpoint. The keys are not weakened when mounted on the balance rail as i'slnow the present practice wherein `parts of the keys are cut awayV to permitthe use ofthe conventional style balance rail pins and wooden key buttons; Removal ot the key with this invention is particularly simple and easy as has been fully described. Adjustment of the key for dip is likewise simple and easy, requiring little or no skill. The narrowing of the keys at their rear portions keeps them from rubbing together should any warp ofthe key occur. so that they do not have to be removed and planed ott', in order that they may work freely. The device used for preventing an,Y sidewise tipping of the keys is economica to make and easily applied and does not interfere in any manner with the mounting, adjustment, and removal of the key when it is necessary in tuning or repairingof the piano. All of these features combine to make the invention of great practical value.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of construction coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a construction of the vclass described, a balance rail having openings in its upper side, a plurality of piano keys located above and across said rail, a balance pin projected from the lower side of each key having its lower end seated in. an opening in said rail, said keys at their Vrear rtions having portions at their vert-ical sides cut away whereby spaces are made between the keys, and

prop means attached to the balance rail and located in said spaces for holding the keys from side tipping. 'f

2. In a construction ofthe class described, a balance rail having openings in its upper side, a plurality of piano keys located above and across said rail, a screw havingk a reduced lower end threaded downwardly through each key and having said lower end seated 1n an opening in said rail, a` washer located over the reduced end of the screw, a pad under said washer bearing against the balance rail, and means located between the keys and attached to the balance rail for holding the keys from sideways tipping. j y

3. In a construction of the class described, a balance rail, a plurality of piano keys located .above and across the balance rail, means for pivotally mounting the keys on said rail, said means being vertically adjustable through the keys to raise or lower the outer ends thereof, and means attached to the balance rail and located between the keys for holding each key from sideways tipping in either direct-ion. I

4. In a construction of the class described, f a balance rail, a plurality `of iano keys located above and across the rail, each of the keys having portions at the vertical sides thereof removed back of the front ends thereof, means for pivotally mounting the keys on said rail, said means being vertically adjustable through the keys to raise or lower the outer ends thereof, and a prop pin attached to the balance rail and extending vertically alongside each key to hold the same from sideways tipping.

5. In a construction of the class described, a balance rail, a plurality of piano keys located above and across the rail, each of said keys having portions at the vertical sides thereof removed back of the front ends thereof, means for pivotally mounting the keys on said rail, said means being vertlcally adjustable through the keys to raise or lower the outerends thereof, 'a prop pin attached to the balance rail and extending vertically alongside each key in the spaces made between the keys through said removal of side portions thereof, and means associated with each of said prop pins, said pins holding the keys from lateral tipping in one direction and said last mentioned means holding the keys from lateral tipping in the other direction.

a balance rail having openings in its upper side, a plurality of piano keys located above and across said rail, means for pivotally and detachably mounting the keys on said rail and a prop pin attached to the balance rail and extending vertically alongside each key between the keys to hold the same from sideways tipping.

,7. In a construction of the class described, a balance rail, a plurality of piano keys located above and across the rail, means for pivotally and removably'mounting the keys on said rail, a prop pin attached to the balance rail and extending vertically alongside each key between the keys and means on each key associated with a respective prop pin to hold the keys from sideways tipping. c

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

WALTER A. GOBLE.

6. In a construction of the class described, 

